Police have arrested a woman who allegedly helped steal 1.95 million baht cash from another woman by staging a car accident in Nonthaburi, police said on Wednesday.
The suspect was identified as 36-year-old hotel manager Passatonamon Anantiyapan. She was apprehended on Tuesday at a hotel in Sukhumvit 15 in the capital’s Klong Toey district for conspiracy to commit theft and damage to property.
The victim of the robbery told police that she was involved in a car accident in Nonthaburi’s Bang Bua Thong district after she made a withdrawal at a bank on June 11.
As she was negotiating with the driver of the other car involved in the crash, someone smashed her car window and took the money.
Police said they were looking for a Malaysian man known only as Evan and other suspects believed to have been involved with the plot and are still at learge.
Ms Passatonamon admitted the vehicle that crashed into the victim’s car was hers, but denied all charges, saying that she had rented out her car and had no idea it was used to commit the crime.
The woman was taken to Bang Bua Thong police station for further questioning.
Police said initial investigations have revealed that gangs jointly operated by Thais and foreigners are carrying out car-crash thefts, targeting lone victims leaving banks.